I found the opportunity, last weekend, to head out to Walla Walla. The wife and her sister were there on family business. I was just there for business. And I meant it. Business, that is. Considering we were only going to be in town for 24 hours, or so, I had to make the most of it with a power-tasting. “Power-Tasting” is a method I’ve devised to speed through as many wineries as possible, all with a specified goal in mind. To make things easier on my schedule, though, I knew the grand Walla Walla Alliance tasting, where all of the wineries from the town were going to be back here in Portland the following Monday.

While in Walla Walla, I was able to make it to 12 wineries in about 4 hours. It may seem like quite a bit, but I feel like I could have done more. What’s the trick? Well, this time around I was looking for Cabernet Franc, as the single-varietal examples of this wine in Washington have been unique and entertaining to me (and fantastic). Considering these wines also tend to be a tasting-room only treat at most wineries, seeking these out gave me a goal. Failing that, and as a lover of all oddball wines, I would allow myself a taste other rare varieties such as Sangiovese, Barbera, Carmenere, the occasional Syrah, the isolated Tempranillo, and whatever eclectic wines may come my way.

One thing to keep in mind if you haven’t already figured this out, is the fact that Washington wineries seem to follow the same pattern. It seems EVERYone makes a Cabernet or a Merlot or a Cab/Merlot or some kind of Bordeaux-styled wine, or a few. Yes, there are some excellent wines like this. Yes, I can get bored that there are so many of them. And I can make my arguments about the overabundance of these particular wines, but the point of the matter is, in order to expedite my quest across the land-of-the-double-Wallas, I just skipped over most of these wines.

Winter hours were in effect, so that effectively trimmed down the number of places I could visit, as well. There’s not a lot of activity in Walla Walla wineries during this part of the year. The good news: The wineries that are open are lightly traveled and easy to get into, get tasted and get out. The bad news: A lot of them are closed. More bad news: Many of the new wines aren’t released until early spring. So, slim pickings are the theme, here.

So to shorten a story I could carry on too long, I’ll give you all a brief recap of where I visited, and what was good. This might give a bit of an impression of a fun and tasty way to speed through Walla Walla.

Waterbrook Winery – Downtown: I stopped here mostly for a map of the region. Having never been a fan of Waterbrook, I tried a couple wines just to be polite. They were about as remarkable as I was expecting, and promptly forgot what they were. No, wait! One was a Tempranillo! An unremarkable Tempranillo. The tasting room guy was nice, though.

Abeja Winery – East side: I thought I’d start here, considering they’re the furthest East of all the wineries, and then I could ease my way back Westward. But I got to the front gate and saw that they’re open “By Appointment Only”. Whoops. Gotta make sure to do all that research. I don’t care for making the appointments since that means they weren’t planning on being there in the first place, and you get guilted into buying the wine even if you didn’t like it.

K Vintners – East side: This is a short jaunt from the failed attempt at Abeja. I got up to the tasting room, and found that they appear to no longer be open to the public. Hm. Too bad. I guess I’ll see them in Portland.

Cougar Crest – Airport: They’re at the airport right now, but moving soon. Out on the West side of town they’re working on the serious winery/tasting room. It looks grand but apparently isn’t fully operational. Tasted 5 wines: Vivace (Viognier/Chardonnay), Viognier, Cabernet Franc (Yay!), Syrah and Dedication One (Bordeaux Blend). Walked away with 2 Syrah and 2 Cabernet Franc. That Viognier is always good too.

Patrick M. Paul – Airport: I knew they had a Cabernet Franc, so I needed to stop there. There were only 4 wines, so I tasted them all. All the wines were a bit odd and funky and perhaps a bit off. The final wine was a supremely weird wine made with Concord grapes. It smelled aromatically sweet but finished dry. It was flavor and character I was unprepared for and was potentially evil. Some things are just TOO weird. I grabbed a couple bottles of the Cabernet Franc and split.

Tamarack Cellars – Airport: This winery was my founding source for my Cabernet Franc obsession, and I popped in with the empty hope they might have some. They didn’t. In fact, I was pretty familiar with most of the wines there, but grabbed a couple bottles of the 2005 Merlot. I tried a barrel-sample of that on a previous visit, and it was spectacular.

Colvin Winery – Airport: This is another producer of supreme Cabernet Franc, and will be no more. The winery is closing its doors any day now, whenever they sell through the rest of their stock. As one of the few producers of Cabernet Franc and pioneer and champion of a single-varietal Washington Carmenere, they will be sorely missed . . . at least by me. I grabbed two bottles of their last vintage of Cabernet Franc and the last bottle of their Carmenere. Ever. It was a magnum too. Large format bottles are cool.

Trio Winery – Airport: This one was new since the last time I was out there. It was in a part of the airport I’d never seen before, and could have potentially been new, as well. The building was definitely new. Steve Michner, the winemaker I talked with in the tasting room for quite some time, was nice, informative, and let me try a couple things not on the regular menu. This included a Mourvedre barrel sample. That got my geeky-senses tingling, and I eagerly anticipate that release. I grabbed a couple Sangiovese bottles and headed away from the airport.

Seven Hills – Downtown: This is one place I’ve wanted to check out for some time. Their tasting room hours had them only open during the same hours I was working, so a previous visit was difficult. Having had tried a number of their wines, there were a few things of theirs I wanted to check out. Once there, though, there was only one wine in which I was really interested. The Tempranillo. It was okay. Their Riesling is really good. And the tasting room staff seemed a bit jaded, if slightly unpleasant. Every comment I made was met with either indifference or a response that equated to “no, you’re wrong.” I bought a bottle of Tempranillo to pay for the tasting and left.

Spring Valley – Downtown: Just around the corner and down the street from Seven Hills there is a row of tasting rooms. You can get a lot of work done here. I only popped into Spring Valley because they had a Cabernet Franc a couple years ago. Of course the didn’t have it this time, but the tasting room staff mentioned another one was being released. I got suckered into tasting their entire lineup (mostly Cab/Merlot, of course) and committed to buying a bottle of Syrah. Unfortunately no prices were posted and I didn’t realize the Syrah was $50. It wasn’t THAT good, but they already ran my card. Ah, well.

Slight of Hand – Downtown: The winemaker and owner Trey Busch was there. I had already tried most of his wine when he visited my shop with a sales rep, but I got a sample of something to be released soon. I don’t remember exactly what it was. But it was tasty. I’ll find out and let people know when it’s released. I believe it was a Cab/Merlot.

Ash Hollow – Downtown: I popped in. It was busy. I didn’t see anything I hadn’t tried recently. I smiled at a few people and left. They do have a Cabernet Franc rose’ wine. But that doesn’t count.

Three Rivers – West side: It’s actually quite a ways from downtown to get out here, but I saw on their website that they had a Cabernet Franc. Deductively I figured out it’s probably from the same vineyard from where Colvin sourced their grapes. They weren’t tasting it, but I bought a few bottles of it. And a Grenache. Can’t pass that up.

Woodward Canyon – West side: They’ve been there almost longer than anyone. Their wines are good. And to me, overpriced for what they are. I tasted them all. Nothing really jumped out at me.

L’Ecole No. 41 – West side: Just a bit further down the road is L’ecole. It’s a cool building and a large tasting room, but to me it tends to feel a bit too . . . I don’t know . . . professional . . . ? It’s like a tasting room factory assembly line where they want you to taste quickly, buy something and get out. It was almost closing time, so really I didn’t have any other choice. Behind the bar was somebody with whom I went to college. A former friend of a former girlfriend. That’s odd. Hm. Small world, eh?

And the sun was down and the day was over. But the following Monday in Portland, at the Taste of Walla Walla (trade tasting), these struck a chord with me:

Morrison Lane – I appreciate what these fine people are doing. They showed a fine example of a Counoise (obscure Rhone varietal) and a Carmenere, as well as a Syrah and something else. Something white. I forget. Good stuff.

K Vintners – I was pretty familiar with three of the wines he was pouring, but the Boom Boom Syrah was new to me and pretty good, especially for the price. The flavor was a bit like the name.

428 Wines – They make only one, and it’s a Merlot/Syrah. And it was tasty. Not the greatest value, but it was tasty, balanced, and probably a great steak wine.

Adamant Cellars – The standout to me was a wine most folks would gloss over. It was a 50/50 blend of Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc. Yes. White wine. I found it one of the most exciting wines of the entire tasting.

Beresan – These guys made a killer Cabernet Franc in 2005. It was probably the only wine I ever remember purchasing an entire case. At the tasting they had a Malbec. Much of Washington Malbec seems thin, especially in comparison to the examples from Argentina and France. This one seems to prove that Malbec has the potential to produce decent examples in the Northwest . . . it’s just going to take a little time.

So there’s my report on Walla Walla . . . at least for right now. There will be others. A visit to Walla Walla can be fun any time, but there certainly are more options during the warmer months. There are more places open and there are generally more wines available, as they are mostly released in the Spring. But when you have limited time, this can work out just fine. For more information about visiting Walla Walla, check out: http://www.wallawallawine.com.

M

I happened upon a Piedmont tasting at Vino, recently. It’s a region that I’ve been seeking out more often, lately. The Barberas hailing from Piedmont have intrigued me as one of the best food wines around, and one of the best values we can find (until the US dollar tanks even more). I’ve also been interested in experimenting with Barbaresco and Barolo, both made with the Nebbiolo grape. Even still, the consistency of quality of the Nebbiolo-based wines has been elusive, and still warrants extended trials. However, some “experts” out there fell in love with them years ago, so now the prices have been too high for simple “experimentation”. That’s where these tastings come in handy.

So the lineup was:
Podere Ruggeri Corsini 2006 Langhe Rosso
Montaribaldi 2006 Dolcetto d’Alba
Molino 2005 Barbera d’Alba
Pasquero Paitin 2004 Nebbiolo “Ca Veja”
Elio Altare 2006 Barbera d’Alba
Ca del Baio 2004 Barbaresco “Valgrande”
Vietti 2001 Barolo “Castiglione”
Mauro Molino 1998 Barolo “Vigna Gancia”

The verdict?

For the cost, the Barberas outshone all the others. Robust flavors, enough acid to cut through the snacks we were having, and that fruitiness that I’ve come to know from Barbera: Coy, yet relatively full-bodied. The standard Nebbiolo was decent, but unexciting making the cost not worthwhile.

The same goes for the Barbaresco, which proved uneventful and forgettable. I knew the Producer from the Piedmont tastings I used to organize, and it’s the least expensive Barbaresco out there, as far as I remember. I understand its place in the tasting, though. It’s best to give someone a taste of Barbaresco, and that’s the starting point. If only it were a bit more exciting . . .

Of the two Barolo featured, the 2001 Vietti, the less expensive of the two, certainly performed better in my own opinion. The more expensive, the 1998 Mauro Molino, the emphasis of oak seemed to suggest to me that this wine could really be a Riserva, and had spent more time in barrels, or the wood treatment was a bit heavy-handed for the ripeness of the fruit. Also it could be the age of the wine deemphasized the fruit over the wood. Or it could be that stylistic thing . . . and that’s a completely different argument. But for the money, I’d be going with the 2001.

The “also-rans” were fairly forgettable. The Langhe Rosso, which I am assuming was a Nebbiolo (I was unable to find any solid confirmation of this), was simple. You could drink it without really noticing. As far as price, you could say it’s a good value, but value only goes so far as to the things you’re willing to purchase. Although I may drink this if it were put in front of me (as I did), I probably wouldn’t go out of my way to find it, or order it for a meal.

That said, the final wine was the Dolcetto. I’ve enjoyed Dolcetto in the past as a simple quaffer, good with light snacks and often compared with Beaujolais in lightness of character. The first round of Dolcetto was lightly corked and funky, to no fault of anyone but the cork. But the replacement wine, although solving the corky problem, was not much of an improvement. The tannins were a bit strong and harsh, and dare I say bitter and perhaps flat? This was not the light and fruity Dolcetto. It seemed overripe and fairly unpleasant.

The Bottom Line: I’d actively seek out and get those Barberas. I’d be perfectly accepting of a glass of someone else’s Barolo or Barbaresco, given the occasion. I’d end up drinking the Nebbiolo or Rosso if they happened to be in close proximity to my glass. And I’d not recommend the Dolcetto in question to my worst enemy. Of course, it’s best not to have a worst enemy, but I suppose if I DID have one, they probably wouldn’t be wine drinkers, anyway . . . certainly not to be fooled into a recommendation from the likes of me, right?

So where was I?

Ah, yes. Just about to get to the wine parts of the trip to the fine, fine Oregon coast!

So the first night, having just arrived for dinner with only enough time to drop our bags and check the mirror, the thought of wine for dinner wasn’t at the forefront. Also during packing we didn’t really think of bringing anything along. I mean, from the years of having the shop and the years at the distributor before that, my cellar does have a few things that need to be popped before all hope is lost. Do I mean hope? I think I mean flavor. That’s another discussion.

The wine list at the restaurant was simple. Really, I could tell they kept the wine ordering easy considering I could tell all the wine came from one distributor. It’s the guys that carry all the beer, so it’s usually wine I consider lowest-common-denominator wine. Grocery-store stuff. Fair enough. It’s an easy way to order. Only having to write one check for the wine and the beer at the same time, etc. And it wasn’t like they’re ordering specifically for me anyway. I mean, I bet most folks sitting down to dinner there really only need to specify red or white. Or . . . ugh . . .pink.

We chose the Ridge Geyserville Zinfandel, maybe because all the other wines seemed to be the “safe road” for the wine list. An uninteresting Pinot Noir. An uninteresting Merlot. An uninteresting Cabernet. An . . .ugh . . . uninteresting White Zinfandel. And then your traditional Chardonnay. And a red blend that I only found interesting because I’ve noticed the distributor had been selling the same vintage for the last 7 years. I guess either the winery made too much of it or nobody likes it. Of course, if nobody likes it, then they definitely made too much of it. But I digress.

The Ridge Zin was about what I’d expected. That winery has been seemed to me to be traveling the safe road. And by “safe road” I mean “sacrificing an interesting wine for a reliable wine”. It was good, but it was also unexciting. I expect Zinfandel to be strong, spicy, aggressive and assertive. This was like . . . a warm bath after a long hike. Or . . . a warm, fuzzy blanket after . . . a warm bath . . . or something. A purple drink that neither excited nor offended. It was a Cabernet-lover’s Zin. But, hey. It washed down dinner just fine.

The following day we knew we wanted to wander through Nye Beach a bit and see the sights and sip the wine. Not even one block from the hotel was the Village Market & Deli. We popped in for a quick snack and spoke at length with the proprietors, Bob and Deborah. It’s a great place for a quick meat and cheese plate and a glass of wine. In fact, the meat and cheese plate had about double or triple the quantities of delectable goodness than the one from a local Portland wine bar. (A place to which we went only once, just for that reason).

From there we wandered down the road another block to the Nye Beach Gallery - Art and Wine. (Come to think of it, I didn’t really notice any art. Perhaps I was just distracted.) Once there we enjoyed a wine tasting of Spain vs. New World wines and talked with Wendy and Zachary. We actually stayed there quite a while, discussing the Oregon wine scene, the folly of some American wine making styles, the foibles of the local sales infrastructure and distributors, and raving about most of the same wines.

The point I have to make about the whole voyage, as it relates to wine, is that in these tourist-y, out-of-the-way places can be some of the best treasure hunts when it comes to rare and valuable bottles. Most folks aren’t really out shopping for wine when they take their trips to the beach, so the special bottles that might be snatched up in town end up collecting dust on the shelves in these places. Between the Village Market & Deli and the Nye Beach Gallery, we racked up a case of wine . . . the most we’d purchased for ourselves since opening the shop. (Well, besides a trip to Walla Walla. That’s a whole other story.) Many were bottles that I knew were sold-out long ago within Portland and some that I was not “allowed” by the distributors. (That’s also a whole other story.)

Of course wine and food are not the only things to do at Newport’s Nye Beach. I’m not writing a tourist’s guide, so I don’t need to go into to much detail. Of course there are galleries and shopping, not to mention the beach itself. But during the winter it’s a bit rainy and stormy, so those walks on the beach can be a bit soggy. Watching those storms roll by from the comforts of a nice cafe or the Sylvia Beach Library with a nice glass of red in hand, and great company at your side, can make a relaxing vacation.

Hello friends and wine lovers!

Welcome to the First Post in a Long Time! And the first in 2008. I think we’re finally settled after closing down the shop and slowly moving on to the Next Big Thing! What is that thing? Weeeeeee’re working on it. There are a few irons in the fire, as they say. But now that I think about it, what does that mean? Where does the phrase come from? Does that have something to do with cattle ranching and branding? Because in that instance then we don’t have irons in the fire. In that case I could say we’ve got a few things coming down the pike, but that doesn’t make much sense either. Isn’t a pike a fish? The long and the short of it is, (whatever THAT means), we’ve got plans. But nothing solid enough to write about. Except, of course, for the writing. One of my passions, and one of the long or short pikes in the fire, you might say. And as that, here’s this. Some writing.

Newport, Part I:

So just this last weekend, while all others were watching some sporting event interspersed with advertisements . . . or some advertisements interspersed with some sporting event, Laura and I went to Newport on the Oregon coast for our 4th anniversary. Okay, the actual anniversary happened in the beginning of January, but the last time we tried to spend the anniversary at the coast, we found that everyone in Newport (except for the Panini place) goes on vacation for all of January. Sure, that makes for all kinds of interesting sitting-around-and-reading-all-day adventures, but this time we figured if we waited a month, then maybe we could actually see the sights . . . and eat something other than Paninis.

We stayed at the Sylvia Beach Hotel in Nye Beach. Just to be clear, Sylvia was a person, not a beach. And Nye, who could quite possibly have been the person for whom the beach is named, is the name of the beach on which the hotel is situated. Clear? Good. I forget the whole history of the building, but in its present incarnation it has been around for 20 years. One of the best things about the hotel is the overall theme of the place. All the rooms in this old bilding have been themed after some author, or another. Agatha Christie, Ernest Hemingway, Edgar Allen Poe, Alice Walker, J.R.R. Tolkien, Shakespeare, Dr. Seuss for the kids, and so on.

All the decorations in these rooms have something to do with either the authors or their works. The Poe room is our favorite, with a pendulum above the bed and a raven on the dresser and somebody apparently bricked into the wall. This time we had Hemingway, which had all kinds of hunting and fishing photos and a dead animal head above the bed. With our collective morbid sense of humor we thought of a few authors who weren’t represented and what would be in their rooms. Like the Bukowski room that comes with a beer fridge. Or the Sylvia Plath room that is the only unit to come with a full kitchen. Or the H.P. Lovecraft room, the only one where you instantly go insane upon entering . . . although that would be a hard thing to arrange.

When it comes to dining in Newport, especially early in the year, we’ve found no better place than the Sylvia Beach Hotel’s dining room, found on the lowest level of the hotel. I’ve been to many restaurants where I’ve paid a lot more and received a lot less when it comes to food quality and quantity. The courses come in “Chapters” considering it still has to be a literary theme, and all the meals are served “family style”, meaning you share a table with other guests, and are “encouraged” to converse with them. And by “encouraged” I mean “are forced”.

Now, now. I don’t think it’s a bad thing. It’s a great opportunity to meet other people and it actually is a lot of fun, and a small price to pay for such delicious food and not having to leave the hotel to get said food. But it might not be something you’d be looking for if you were expecting a romantic, candle-lit meal for two. Unless, of course, you were the only two people to show up for dinner. During the slower winter season, that could be a possibility, but don’t count on it.

The wine list? Well, I suppose it’s enough to satisfy most folks. But if it says anything of the three nights we dined down there, we brought our own wine for the second two nights. More about that tomorrow . . .

M

Hello Friends and Wine Lovers!

Welcome to the last! It’s the last of the Thursday newsletters announcing the last of the Friday tastings for the last days for Carpe Vinum (at this location)! It’s been a long stretch of excellent wines and some excellent tastings over the last 5 years. As you know, I plan on doing something similar to this in the coming year, the final product yet to be determined, but for now it’s The Last Carpe Vinum Friday Tasting Summing Up the Year In Wine With the Best of 2007! I’ve hand-selected seven wines that were the runaway hits throughout the year, the best-sellers, the most-surprising, my personal favorites and/or just the best of the best. I can’t think of a better way to wrap up the end of the year, and somewhat sadly the end of the retail shop, than with all of these spectacular wines. Let’s recap the Best of 2007, a year in review!

Patritti NV Shargren: The red and bubbly wines are still a relatively unknown thing to our shores, here. Until this wine, and its contemporary The Black Chook, came around here all the sparkling Shiraz I saw was horribly expensive and they were so few, nobody really had a chance or the budget to try it. This one came on the scene just this year offering everyone a fresh look at this unusual style without breaking anyone’s budget. Over the past few months it’s been like an Easter egg hunt. I think I’ve hidden a few bottles, then they suddenly surface and sell out. It’s certainly not one to miss!

Kiona 2005 Lemberger: I had poured this wine a number of times in the past and it seems to keep getting better with each vintage. Lemberger is a relatively obscure grape in the Northwest wine scene, known better in Austria as Blaufrankisch and in Germany as Blauer Limberger. Obscure as it is, this is another one that is very hard to keep in stock. It’s relatively low in acid and has some dark plummy fruit with some hints of chocolate. Of course, clocking-in at under $11 is also no small reason this is so popular. But by no means the only reason.

Morgante 2005 Nero d’Avola: The time may not be nigh for the revolution of Nero d’Avola. The grape is grown almost exclusively in Sicily, although I think I heard of a vineyard or two in California, but for now it’s just a Sicilian phenomenon. This wine has been one of my most steady sellers throughout the year. Whoever tries it always comes back for more. I find it a decent comparison with Syrah and Grenache, but with a certain extra something that remains uniquely Nero d’Avola.

Saint Cosme 2006 Cotes du Rhone: It’s pronounced “Saint Comb” not “Coz Em” or “Coz Me”. This producer makes quite a few wines throughout the French Rhone, only a few that actually make it to our shores. I initially fell in love with their “Deux Albion” Cotes du Rhone. But then a popular wine magazine reviewer also liked it, so it sold out in a week. Then I went to the 2005 regular Cotes du Rhone. That got a good review, and also sold out. So here we are on the 2006. It’s still one of the best Cotes du Rhone I’ve had in years. Get it now before some other wine reviewer tells other people it’s good!

Peterson 2004 Zinfandel: I love the Zinfandel. Over the last 3 or more years, I’ve been disappointed with the general style all the Zin producers have been going for. I think it’s the unfortunate shift of the entire industry in attempts to please one of the aforementioned wine reviewers that is causing a homogenization of a lot of wines, removing the intricacies and subtleties that actually make these wines different. And also pushing the styles and strength of these wines to the point that is not entirely dissimilar to drinking the wine and then smashing the empty bottles over our heads. The Peterson Zinfandel seems to me a welcome return to Zinfandel as it should be: Big, bold, spicy without being overtly threatening.

Adelsheim 2005 Pinot Noir: Truth be told, I’m not a huge fan of the Pinot Noir. I know what it should be, I know the different styles people are going for, and I know a good one when I find it. But it’s not anything I generally seek out for having with dinner and I’m a bit ambivalent about the worldwide pricing of the stuff. Sure, a well-made Pinot can be a thing of beauty, but I feel any grape, given the appropriate conditions and attention can also excel just as well. With that in mind, when a Pinot can stop me mid-conversation to say “Hey. That’s really, really good!” and then forget what I was talking about, you know it’s a good pinot. And it’s under $30!

Kaesler 2005 The Fave Grenache: It may be a bit early to call this one for the Best of 2007, as I just tried this one several weeks ago, but it was tasty, and I had to fit into one of these tastings. Considering this is the last tasting, at least for a while, it had to fit in here somehow. Besides, I’m always a sucker for Grenache. This one is stable and spicy, and it’s fruity without being too jammy like much of Australia produces. Had I discovered it months ago, it’d probably still have made it in here, anyway. It’s not cheap, but as a LAST pour I thought maybe we could splurge a bit.

So there we go. Seven spectacular wines for the last tasting of the year. And the last tasting for a while, until I get my next move more established. I just want to thank everyone for the support over the years! It’s been a fun ride, and I look forward to a new endeavor which will be somewhat or somehow related to this one. I brought in quite a bit of extra wine for this one since I can’t order any more after this point. So come down for one last taste!

So Friday, December 28th, between 4:30 and 9:00 PM it’s:

Best of 2007!!!
Patritti NV Shargren Sparkling Shiraz/Grenache, Australia
Kiona 2005 Lemberger, Red Mountain, Washington
Morgante 2005 Nero d’Avola, Sicily, Italy
Saint Cosme 2006 Cotes du Rhone, France
Peterson 2004 Zinfandel, Dry Creek Valley, California

Best of the Best of 2007!!!
Adelsheim 2005 Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, Oregon
Kaesler 2005 The Fave Grenache, Barossa Valley, Australia

A stellar deal at $10 for the First 5, $6 for the Extra 2 Premium Pours.

Hope to see you here!

Seize the Wine!

Next Friday tasting is . . . um . . . your place . . . ?

M

Hello Friends and Wine Lovers!

Welcome to the Soon-To-Be Slightly Less Than Weekly But For Now Still Weekly Carpe Vinum Newsletter and Tasting Report! I just wanted to thank everyone for all the support for our regrettable, yet totally un-regrettable decision to close the retail portion of the business. The direction I will be going looks better all the time. I think of the immortal words of the eloquent Obi Wan Kenobi, “If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you could possibly imagine”. I’m not necessarily being “struck down” and I certainly won’t necessarily become “powerful” . . . well, at least not more so than you could possibly imagine. Chances are. But I digress.

So what are we tasting this week? It’s a little thing I like to call The Procrastinator’s Gift Guide! If you shop for the Holidays like I do, hardly at all and at the last minute, this is the tasting for you! Of course, it makes sense that I give bottles of wine as gifts. I’m in a wine shop all day long. One step to my right and I’m “shopping”. And then a step back to my left and I’m “working” again.

So what kinds of wines do I tend to give as gifts? Well, considering that we in Portland are pretty well centrally located as it comes to the Northwest wine, I usually like to give something from our Northwest wineries, especially if it’s gifts to people from outside the region. Many people in other states have a hard time finding Oregon and Washington wines, whereas most wines we see from California and imports from outside the country seem to have more even distribution across The States. So here’s a selection of bottles that come from Oregon and Washington that could be considered “gifty” is some kind of way.

A to Z 2006 Pinot Noir: Many will agree that an Oregon Pinot Noir is one of the best wines to give as gifts. People from all over the world are trying to get their hands on this stuff. The current prices correlate to this, and now there are very few Pinots that fit the budget. A to Z is one of the best wines in its own price category. It’s what you get for when you want to get the very best . . . but when you can’t afford the very best!

The Pines 2006 Big Red: It’s Oregon’s own producer of Old Vine Zinfandel. This isn’t Zin, though. It’s a handful of other Big Red things . . . as you might be able to tell by the name. It’s a good way to show off the fact that Oregon isn’t all about the Pinot Noir. It’s also good for fans of pine trees and fans of things that are big and also happen to be red. Like . . . uh . . . a firetruck? Know any firemen?

Basel Cellars 2005 Claret: This is another big red wine from a winery in Walla Walla. If you’ve ever been to the Basel estate out there, you’d see that it’s the most extravagant winery facility in the whole town, if not the state. The long sprawling drive up to the facility makes you think you’re driving up to Bruce Wayne’s place. It’s also a resort and if you visit the tasting room you can see the guests lounging in the sun out by the pool separated from you by a big sign saying “You can’t go here”. There’s a picture of the place on the label, so if you give this as a gift you can say, “If I could afford it, I’d take you here. But here’s a picture instead. Drink this and pretend we’re there.”

Balboa 2006 The Cat’s Meow: It’s another big Washington red. And as a gift you’d be telling that special someone you think they’re really “The Cat’s Meow” . . . which is a phrase I’ve never really understood. I mean, has anyone ever met my cat? Saying someone is “the Cat’s Meow” sounds like saying someone is “relentlessly annoying and never shuts up”. Maybe they meant someone else’s cat. At any rate, if you use this as a gift, be careful.

Domaine Pierre Noir 2005 Cuvee Amont: This is for someone who asked you for Pinot Noir but you can spend less and pretend you heard them wrong. “Pinot Noir? I thought you said PIERRE Noir. Hm. Oh, well. Enjoy!” It’s another Washington red, always pleasing, if you can see my trend here . . .

Anam Cara 2005 Pinot Noir: Okay, now we’re getting into the serious Pinot territory. The name means “Soul Friend” in old Celtic, and as such always makes a very friendly gift. It’s been one of my favorite Pinot producers for the last couple years, and yet hasn’t been pushed into the “Good lord, they want how much for this?” territory.

Andrew Rich 2005 Coup d’Etat: This is a blend of Rhone varietals from the Columbia Valley. Which side of the river it comes from I am unsure of, but considering the winery is in Oregon, I’ll say Oregon for posterity. Why is it called “Coup d’Etat”? Perhaps because a Rhone-style blend in Oregon is a revolutionary idea? Don’t know. But it’s the perfect wine for that little anarchist on your list.

So that’s the lineup! I’ll have a limited amount available on most of them, so if any sound like the gift idea you’ve been putting off this long, get here early to grab yours. Otherwise, it’s still possible to order more and it will be delivered here on Monday. And yes, that answers that question: I will be here on Monday the 24th, Christmas Eve, from 11 AM until 5 PM or a bit later. I’m not normally here on Monday, but since I’m used to doing my shopping on the 24th, I’ll be here anyway, right?

So Friday, December 21st, between 4:30 and 9:00 PM it’s:

Procrastinator’s Gift Guide 2007!!!
A to Z 2006 Pinot Noir, Oregon
The Pines 2006 Big Red, Columbia Valley, Oregon
Basel Cellars 2005 Claret, Columbia Valley, Washington
Balboa 2006 The Cat’s Meow, Walla Walla Valley, Washington
Domaine Pierre Noir 2005 Cuvee Amont Vin Rouge, Columbia Valley, Washington

More Gifties!!!
Anam Cara 2005 Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, Oregon
Andrew Rich 2005 Coup d’Etat, Columbia Valley, Oregon

A stellar deal at $10 for the First 5, $6 for the Extra 2 Premium Pours.

Hope to see you here!

Seize the Wine!

Next Friday tasting is The Best of 2007!

M

Hello Friends and Wine Lovers!

Welcome to the Quasi-Weekly Newsletter-of-Sorts and Announcement for the Friday Tasting here at Carpe Vinum! Last week, due to some online newsletter mailing service weirdness, the newsletter from last week didn’t get cleared until, well, today. But considering sending out two newsletters in one day might just prove to be too confusing (i.e.- just what the heck are we tasting tomorrow?). So for posterity’s sake, the newsletter from last week is posted on the shop’s blogsite at http://www.carpevinumpdx.com. But for the purpose of this week, the tasting tomorrow will be our Sparkletacular 2007! That’s right! It’s seven . . . no wait, eight sparklers served to you tomorrow, and an introduction to eight wines that would be befitting to any holiday celebration! So let’s meet our contenders, shall we?

So just how do they get all those bubbles into those bottles? A question for the ages, to be sure. There are quite a few methods for getting those wines to sparkle. The lo-fi method is to actually carbonate the things artificially, like some of the soft drinks, beers and canned wines out there. Yes, canned wine. To be sipped through a straw. Out of a paper bag on the bus. Okay, okay, that’s not quite fair. Cracking open a can of carbonated wine can be quite fun. Not necessarily tasty, but fun. The more traditional method is to add additional yeast and sweetness to the bottles and put a pretty sturdy cap on there and let fermentation in the bottle do the trick.

Actually, that seems to be the most popular method of doing it. It’s what’s referred to as “Methode Champenoise” or “Methode Traditionelle”. There is some dispute as to who did it first. Bubbles appearing in the wine is technically a flaw in the wine, meaning that the juice was bottled before the fermentation was complete, so winemakers in colder climates had been doing that by accident for centuries. But as far as who started intentionally bottling the wines with the intention of creating bubbles is a hotly contested dispute. Wineries in the Loire have records that they were doing it years before Champagne, but Champagne certainly seems to have perfected the process. Or at least they’ve perfected the marketing of the wines. For an example of this marketing, check out ANY website from producers in Champagne. They are all the most exquisite wine websites on the web. Also, all the animation and scripting on the sites might crash your browser if your bandwidth isn’t quite up to snuff. But that’s another story.

So when I put together a sparkling tasting, I like to do a tour of the world to check out the different styles of bubblies the world has to offer, considering almost every wine-growing region will have their own sparkler. Of course, starting at the top, both by reputation, history and price, we have Champagne. There are very few Champagnes that retail under $40 and quite a few that retail over $200. I guess they have to pay their over-productive webmasters. Also from France is the Cremant from different regions. Usually done in the same methods as Champagne, I find the results are just as pleasant, and the price is even more pleasant. As always, I have to put in my favorite of the bubblies, a Prosecco from Italy and the ever-popular Cava from Spain. Also, we have to look to our own winemakers here in Oregon for some local bubbly. We don’t have many, but they are nice.

Aw, heck. Why not? Just for fun let’s throw in one of Australia’s red sparkling Shiraz. These things had traditionally been terribly expensive but it seems more producers have been making these things and driving the price down. If you’ve not tried one of these things, you really must. Actually, I’d say every one of sparklers is a must. After all it is the Sparklefest!

So Friday, December 14th, between 4:30 and 9:00 PM it’s:

Sparklefest 2007!!!
Lucien Albrecht NV Brut Blanc de Blancs, Cremant de Alsace, France
Clemence Guery NV Cremant de Loire, France
Fantinel NV Prosecco, Veneto, Italy
1 + 1 = 3 NV Brut Cava, Spain
Louis Bouillot NV Perle de Aurore, Cremant de Bourgogne Rose’, France

More Sparklies!!!
Argyle 1999 Brut, Knudsen Vineyard, Willamette Valley, Oregon
Nicholas Feuillatte NV Brut Champagne, France

Okay . . . Just One More . . . Red one too!
The Black Chook NV Sparkling Shiraz, Barossa, Australia

A stellar deal at $10 for the First 5, $6 for the Extra 2 Premium Pours.

Hope to see you here!

Seize the Wine!

Next Friday tasting is Procrastinator’s Gift Guide!

M

Hello Friends and Wine Lovers!

Welcome to the Newsletter and Tasting Notes for the Carpe Vinum December and Fourth-to-Final Tasting of the Year that is 2007! It’s the beginning of that time of year where magazines, news shows, weblogs, and people everywhere start referring to things as “The Year In Review” or “The Best of . . . ” or “The Stuff this Year that Made Our Spidey Senses Tingle”. This week, to kick off the “The Best of the Year in Review that Made our Spidey Senses Tingle” we’ve got SangioFest 2007! It’s all Sangiovese, all night long! Well, okay . . . it’s not really a yearly retrospective on Sangiovese. All but one of the wines in this tasting are new to the shop, and none have been featured in a tasting yet. But I just wanted to kick off December with some kind of “2007 Spectacular” so as to not be left behind on dropping the number “2007″ as many times as possible. So here it is! SangioFest 2007!

What is a Sangiovese? It’s a grape! It’s an Italian grape! Can we still consider it an Italian grape if it’s grown outside Italy? Well, no. Okay, so it’s grape of Italian heritage! How about that? At any rate it’s the grape that made Italian wine famous. It accounts for about 10% of all grapes grown in Italy. That sounds like a low percentage, but when you consider just how much grape crop they grow there, and all the variety, that 10% is still makes Sangiovese the most widely grown grape in Italy.

As far as scientists can tell, Sangiovese is most likely native to Tuscany, and not coincidentally is also from where we find most of the Sangiovese-based reds; Tuscany and its neighbors Umbria and Emilia Romagna. Within Tuscany we’ve got some of the most famous of Italian wines that are all based in Sangiovese. For one, just a simple name you may have heard before: Chianti? Of course the Chianti! Now, don’t fret! I happen to know there is a lot of Chianti out there, and I might risk the wrath of Chianti-lovers in saying that I think a good majority of Chianti is garbage. With that in mind, when you see me talking up Chianti as a region, I’m talking only about the good ones. In the neighbors of Chianti we find some of the other famous Sangiovese-based wines of Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. (Not to be confused with Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, which is made with the Montepulciano grape.) Also, and the most famous of Tuscany, is the Brunello di Montalcino and its less-expensive sibling the Rosso di Montalcino.

Now, this is not an Italian-only wine tasting. When tasting the single-varietal wines in a setting such as this, I always like comparing the Old World wines to the New World. As it is in the New World regarding wine, we have a rich history of immigrants from Italy bringing with them clippings of their beloved Sangiovese to plant in their new home. So many years ago, vines of Sangiovese made their way to California and to South America (mainly Argentina). It has only been in the more recent years that we’ve seen the grape make its way into our own neighbors in Washington. There the grape is making wines that differ greatly from its relatives in Europe.

For now that’s really the scope and range of the Sangiovese. It’s enough for a full Sangiovese primer of sorts without delving into Italy too much. With Italy still being the world’s wine superpower in gross exports, we could probably put together a tasting like this every day of the year filled with Sangiovese wines from Italy, and never repeat one. New World Sangios are fewer, and so easier to choose. So for this tasting, we’ve got three spectacular Sangiovese wines from Italy, two from California, and then three more from Washington.

Wait . . . isn’t that eight? That’s right! I made an exception to add another On-The-Side pour to bring in one of my favorites from Washington: K Vintner’s 2005 Guido. This stuff is very limited, and I only get 6 bottles this year. And of these 6, I’m opening one for us all to taste, leaving just 5 to sell. So it is definitely not to be missed and it is best to get here early if anyone wants a bottle of this Super Supremo Sangiovese Stuff.

So Friday, December 7th, between 4:30 and 9:00 PM it’s:

SangioFest 2007!!!
Ca’ Del Solo 2005 Sangiovese, San Benito County, California
Jaccuzzi Family Vineyards 2004 Sangiovese, Sonoma County, California
Corte alla Flora 2004 Giuggiolo, Tuscany IGT, Italy
Castellare 2004 Chianti Classico, Tuscany, Italy
Carpazo 2004 Rosso di Montalcino, Tuscany, Italy

Sangiovese Sangiovese from Walla Walla!!!
Maninna 2005 Sangiovese, Walla Walla Valley, Washington
Five Star 2004 Sangiovese, Walla Walla Valley, Washington

Super Supremo Sangiovese!!!
K Vintners 2005 Guido, Morrison Lane, Walla Walla Valley, Washington

A stellar deal at $10 for the First 5, $6 for the Extra 2 Premium Pours, $4 for the Super Supremo Pour.

Hope to see you here!

Seize the Wine!

Next Friday tasting is Sparlkefest 2007!

M

Hello Friends and Wine Lovers!

It’s that time of day again, during that time of week again! It’s time for the Weekly Publication of the Successful Navigation of Wine Degustation with the Carpe Vinum Newsletter and Tasting Announcement! This week we’re heading to a region steeped in many years rich in History: It’s Spain’s Old Castile! Of course, I’m no History buff, so if you want the History of the region, check Wikipedia. If you want a correct History of the region, read a book, perhaps. If you want information regarding the wines of the region, free and clear of all that boring, old Historic stuff, then by all means, read on!

The region that is considered the Old Castile is situated in the North-Central part of the country. To the west is our old friends Galicia, the region famous for the best white wines of Spain. To the North we’ve got the unique Basque regions, not-so-famous but also have some of the best white wines in Spain. To the East is the all-too-well-known region of Rioja and its next-door neighbor Navarra, the “Jan Brady” to Rioja. To the South we’ve got Madrid, the Spanish capital and gateway to what is generally regarded as “New” Castile, featuring the high-plateau regions of Vinos de Madrid and La Mancha. And to the SouthWest of Old Castile we’ve got Portugal, which is a totally different story, altogether.

So here we are in Old Castile, smack-dab in the middle of North-Central Spain. There are quite a few notable regions that make up the recognized wines of the area, and the natural progression of that should always start with the Ribera del Duero. This is the region that, a few years ago (”a few years” being about 20 years) Alejandro Fernandez proved that the wines from this region really could make a mark on the global wine map. Since then the region has exploded (figuratively) with wineries, and the prices of the best wines of the region have shot through the roof (also figuratively). Still, a constant flow of new producers rather guarantees quite a few wines within the affordable range.

At this point, the second-in-command for the red wines of the region is the region of Toro (and could be considered the “Jan Brady” to Ribera del Duero). The wines of Toro have historically been of questionable quality, but as I’m not much of a History buff, I’ve never seen it that way. There are a few I’ve had that could be considered “quite rustic” . . . by which I mean in a “good and drinkable, yet sturdy” way, not in a “did you get the number off that truck” kind of way. With that in mind, it seems Toro is currently going through greater lengths to improve their wines and shake that Historical reputation more-so than any other of the Spanish regions, And the results are impressive.

The third of the notable regions is Bierzo. It’s always been confusing to me that Bierzo is considered part of Old Castile, considering that on the map it looks like it’s more of a part of the Galicia. Perhaps it’s something on the ground level that I don’t see, like a giant canyon or a ten-foot-high fence or a giant strip-mall, or something. The wines don’t match the wines of Galicia, but yet they don’t really match the Castilian wines either. Most of the wines of Castile, including Toro and Ribera del Duero, are Tempranillo-based, while Bierzo has the Mencia grape. The Mencia is apparently used in red wines in Galicia, but as I’ve never seen a Galician red wine, I’ll jump to the conclusion that they don’t really exist. Which makes the wines of Bierzo even more unique.

And really, those are just three of the certified red-grape-growing regions in the Old Castile. There is also the white wine region of Rueda and the pink wine region of Cigales, neither of which I feel fits into the cold of winter. Outside of those areas the wines are classified as Castile y Leon or one of the numerous Vinos de la Tierra regions. (Technically “table wine”). These wines don’t lack in quality at all. Many can compete with the Ribera del Dueros or the Toros, but the regions just haven’t been upgraded by the wine laws yet.

So here’s a selection from around Old Castile, prominently featuring three wines from of one of my favorites regions in the world, the Ribera del Duero! And, of course that’s including the wine that kicked off the whole revolution, Alejandro Fernandez’s Pesquera! Also, I’d like to apologize to the Castilians for misspelling the name of the region for the last 5 years. It’s not “Castille” with the “double-L” like I had thought, and I just discovered that today with a better spellchecker than the one I had been using. And I’d been wrong all along. Thanks a lot for telling me, guys. I mean, really.

So Friday, November 30th, between 4:30 and 9:00 PM it’s:

Old Castile!!!
Protos 2005 Tinto, Ribera del Duero
Bodegas Leda 2004 Mas de Leda, Castille y Leon
Vinas del Cenit 2004 Venta Mazzaron, Zamora
Liberalia 2005 Tinto Tres, Toro
Dominio de Tares 2005 Mencia Baltos, Bierzo

Right Next to the New Castile!!!
Emilio Moro 2004 Tinto, Ribera del Duero
Alejandro Fernandez 2004 Pesquera, Ribera del Duero

A stellar deal at $10 for the First 5, $6 for the Extra 2 Premium Pours.

Hope to see you here!

Seize the Wine!

Next Friday tasting is Sangiovese!

M

Hello Friends and Wine Lovers!

Happy Thanksgiving Eve, y’all! Of course, given how late I’ve gotten this thing out today, this day that is Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving Thursday, and given the fact that everyone has gone home for the day, I bet when most of you read this it will be Happy Post-Thanksgiving and Beginning of the “Holiday” Season Friday! So, given that, welcome to the Happy Post-Thanksgiving and Beginning of the “Holiday” Season Friday Tasting Announcement and Newsletter to Which it Corresponds! On the schedule for the tasting this Friday is the wines of the French Rhone! I figured, hey . . . after all that cooking and gorging on whatever food suited your celebratory table, a day with the wines of the French Rhone would make a fitting end to the hectic week. Or a fitting beginning to a hectic month-and-a-week ahead of us!

The French Rhone! It’s one of my favorites in the world, and a region I find I can always turn to, whether bored or jaded on certain wine varieties or regions. Or if the wine list at a restaurant just reads: Cab, Merlot, Cab/Merlot, Etc., Etc., Cotes du Rhone, you know it’s a pretty safe bet the Rhone wine will work with whatever you’re having. It’s versatile like that. There also seems to be spells where I forget about the region, caught up in the rest of the world of wine, (which is so easy to do, given that the world is . . . well, huge). But ocne I rediscover the wines, it’s like going home, with the realization of “Oh, yeah . . . Oh yeah!”

So anyone unfamiliar with the Rhone wines, the region is situated in the Southeasterncentral part of France, just above the warm Mediterranean region of Languedoc, and just South of the cooler Burgundy and Beaujolais. The grapes grown in the region vary from North to South with the North being dominated by Syrah and the South bespeckled by a plethora of different varieties including, but not necessarily excluded to: Grenache, Mourvedre, Cairanne, Cinsault, and so on. There are some 30-odd varietals included in some blends, so the list could go on. And does.

The regions within the region, the specific villages that have their own magnificent productions include the exquisite Chateauneuf du Pape, Gigondas, Vacqueras and Lirac among others in the South, and Cote-Rotie, Hermitage, Crozes-Hermiatage, and Staint-Joseph among others in the North. These areas have proven themselves to be making extraordinary wine for hundreds of years, and they have the price tag to show it. In fact, now that the price of the Euro has soared, and the price of the dollar has sank, and the price of fuel has also soared, so then, the price of these wines has so totally not sank. In a long time. Plus newfound interest in these regions have the “reputation surtax” on these wines also increasing. Given that, the best and most affordable way to taste your way around the region is to go with the Cotes du Rhones. The designation encompasses the whole region, but the price is a great deal less.

So here we have a wondrous selection of Cotes du Rhones, either from the 2004 or the 2005 vintages, both known for spectacular wines after a few sketchy vintages. (The vintage of 2002 was a washout from too much rain, and 2003 was a blowout from too much sun). Included in the premium pours are wines from the regions of Gigondas and Chateauneuf du Pape, both slowly rising to the out-of-my-price-range category, so this might be a “last hurrah” for some of these. But still . . .a “last hurrah” is still a “hurrah”. Not that anyone really says “hurrah” in this country. But that’s another conversation, altogether.

So Friday, November 23rd, between 4:30 and 9:00 PM it’s:

Rhone!!!
Domaine Saint Gayan 2005 Cotes du Rhone
Domaine du Trepadis 2004 Cotes du Rhone
Domaine les Grande Bois 2005 Cotes du Rhone
Domaine Grand Veneur 2005 Cotes du Rhone
Domaine de Cros de Romet 2005 Cotes de Rhone Villages Cairanne

Gigondas and Chateauneuf!!!
Domaine Brusset 2005 Gigondas “Grand Montmirail”
Clos Saint Jean 2004 Chateauneuf du Pape

And Just Another Little White Wine on the Side!
M. Chapoutier 2006 Belleruche Cotes du Rhone Blanc

A stellar deal at $10 for the First 5, $6 for the Extra 2 Premium Pours. $2 for that extra white wine.

Hope to see you here!

Seize the Wine!

Next Friday tasting is Spain’s Old Castille!

M

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